Fish cleaning machine



March 6, 1945. FUNKEY 2,370,947

FISH CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mgu March 1945- H. FUNKEY FISH CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Lyman) f/ lawn/key y WWI/we; Z5. M3

March 6, 1945. L. H. FUNKEY FISH CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 1:5. 1943 Inventqi March 6, 1945. H. FUNKEY FISH CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1943 5 She ets-Sheet 5 Inventor Wm H Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

' r v 2,370,947 a a r FISH CLEANING MACHINE Lyman H. Funltey, Marinette, Wis. Application May 13, 1943; Serial No. 486,875

' 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fish cleaning machines, the principal object being to provide a viscera extractor,

or nozzle of improved construction for use in con- Junction with fish cleaning machines;

Another important object of the inventionis to provide a iish cleaning and extracting nozzle which in operation will serve to cut the viscera.

from the fish while at the same time washing the inside of the fishxwith water and blowing out the severed viscera by compressed .air.

Still another important object of the invention,

is to provide'a fish cleaning machine in which a self-cleaning nozzle or ejector is employed in the cleaning of fish.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine wherein a number of the opera-. tions are substantially automatic, particularly with respect to the movement of the rotary cleaningdevices which are elevated into held fish at a proper stage in the operationof the machine..-."

Various other objects andvadvantages' ofi'the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description; :1 l

' In the drawings,

chine. a

Figure 2 isa transverse sectional vlewthrough the machine.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the central portion of the machine. .Figure 4 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view through the rotarycleaningvdevice. r a

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the lifting means "for the rotary cleaning device. .7 a

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top elevational view showing one of the fish-holdingclamps and the means for actuating the same- Figure 7 is a side elevational view of onemot the nozzles.

Figure 8 is an edge elevational view of onevof 'thenozzles. I i t Figure 9 is an enlarged section onthe;line 9l9.

of Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a section on the line III-i0 Figure 7. I I

,Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 denotes a table'supported by posts ,6. Secured on the central portion of the table 5, is an annulus I, having a, flange, overhanging a base flange 8 on a cylinder 9, which is vertically;

disposed and which has a transverse partition III at the midpoint of its interior. Thus; it can be Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the maseen that the cylinder- 9 is rotatably mounted on.

the table 5.

Carried by the upper end of the cylinder 9 is a header II which hasa hub l2 suitably secured 5 thereto and to this hub and header II; is secured a "drive shaft I3 for rotating the cylinder 9 and connected .mechanism. 7

Radiating from the hub 12 arearms. 14 which extend to a point substantially over the edge line 2| The box [9 is connected by a'stra'p22 to an overlying air receiving box 23 which is bored as at '24 to accommodate a compressed air supply pipe 25. i a

Tube l8 depends through a tube 26 which connects the box-'23 with chamber 21 in the cylinder 9. below the partition l0. Chamber 28 above the partition Illreceives water from the water box I9 and line 2|.

L The cylinder 9 has a circumferential flange 30 a to which the inner ends ofarms 3| are pivotally secured as at 32. The arms 3l'extend outwardly and through stirrups 33 which are suspended by rods 34 slidable through guide barrels 35 located on corresponding spokes [4. The upper ends of these rods 34 are threaded to accommodate nuts I I 36 whereby the extent of movement of the arms 3! can be regulated.

- As can be seen in Figure 5, each stirrup 33 has a roller 31 which coacts with the notch 38in the lower edge. of the corresponding arm 3| and each stirrup 33 is bifurcated at its lower end to receive a roller 39.2 t

The chambers 2'! and 28 (see Figure 3 and Figure 2) have pipes! and respectively extending therefrom and terminating in valves 42,

43, respectively, the latter valve 43 being located slightly inwardly of the valve .42. Each valve has a valve element and the valves 42 have dependingcontrol stems 44; while the valves 43 for air have depending control stems 45. The

stems 44 and 45 are located-in-a path over corresponding controlling cams 46, 41, locatedon the table 5. The cam 41 issubstantially shorter than t the cam 46 so that lessv air will be used than Cam strip 48- has a wavy surface which causes the cleaning device I! to oscillate vertically when the machine is in motion.

Figure 1 shows the construction of the edge portion of the table 5. The edge portion of the table is in fact a cam, the edge portion being out in deeply as at 49 to define a concentric edge 50. A slope 5| outwardly from the edge 50 defines an edge 52 which is the arc of a greater circle than the edge 50 and this con gear section against which the spoke gears 82 of the cleaning device I! can mesh in order'to turnthe cleaning device. The lower ends of the pins 93 are secured to a bar 9311 while the upper ends are suitably secured to the edge portion of the table 5.

As the mechanism isrotated by the drive shaft 13,1 the rollers I5 on the arms "ride the edge portionof the table. Fish are inserted heads down in the clamps 15 before .the clamp devices reach the shoulder 53. As the, rollers. 15 ride over the shoulder 53 onto the edge 54, the fish be-.

: come clamped in position and the heads and tails are severed at the cutting device 58. At this point the rollers 39 of the lifting means shown in Figure 5. ride the ,cam strip 48, lifting the cleaning device I! as shown in Figure 4, so that the nozzle tinues to a slope 53 which leads to an edge 54 v 59 in which is .a vertical shaft 60 carrying a .pair

of disk cutting blades 6|, 6|, the shaft 60 .being driven by flexible drive shaft 62. v Referring in detail to the fish-clamping mecha nism I5, each arm 14 carries a block 68 fixed to the upper end of the guide 69 for the shaft I8. Shafts 61, are journaled in the opposite ends of, the block 68 to depend therefrom. Arms 14 having rollers extend from-the lower ends of the shafts 61, 10. Crank 1| extends from the upper end of shaft 18. A lever": is rigid with the crank H: and provided with a. lateral lug 13 pivoted thereto, as at 13'.and-carrying'rigid" therewith a movable jaw 64: swingable about. said pivot 732, A jaw .63 is rigidly connectedtothe; block68 by means of a rigid arm 63. The jaw 63 is provided" with a lug 6431 upon which is'pivoted, as. at' 65-, a pair. of toggle levers 65. The toggle levers 65 areoperatedbya U-shaped arm 6.6 .which is secured to, the, shaft 61 and in a manner to swing the jaw 64 towardthe vjawz63. The rollers l5ride the edge portionof the table 5.

Pipes 16, 11 extend from the valves 42, 43. and connect to a common flexible conduit l8v which extends to the corresponding cleaning device [1. Each cleaning device H consists of a boxer hear ing 19: for receiving abearing member 80 in the form of an enlargement. of a, shaft, 8l,.-at the lower end of ,whichfl is a sp0ke -gear-82.' upper end of the bearing body '80 is reduced and projects above the bearing 80v as'at 83 and receives the lower end portion 84. of a twistednozzle 8,5, which has downwardlydirected outlet open- 1 lugs 86 adjacent the upper. end and the upper end is formed with additionalopenings 81 (see Figure 10). v I 1 .A scraper'is carried by this nozzle, the .same consisting of a substantially triangular-shaped plate 88 suitably secured to the up'pervend of the twisted nozzle 85 and being notched as at 89 to provide cleaning. teeth. Each longitudinal edge of the plate 88 has a lateral cutting edge 90, these edges being disposed in opposite directions, and from these cutting edgescleaning tails or blades 9|, 9| depend. I I

It can be seen that along the edge portion 54 of v the stationary table 5, spaced pins 83 define a- The p enters the head and tail severed carcass of the fish. As the spoke gear 82 (see Figure 4) meshes with the gear pins 93 the cleaner starts to rotate. At this point-due to the action of the cams 46 and 41 against the pins 44 and 45, water'and air is supplied as a'zcleansing medium. The viscera is actually blown. from the fish as thescraping operation takesplace. Water is supe *pliecl as a .carrying off medium.

the table, fish clamping-means at the outer endsof the spokes, a cutting device for. cuttingheads and tails off of fishes held in the clamps, and, vertically movable fish cleaning devices adapted tolenterfish held in the 'clampsafter their heads and'tails have been removed. 2. A fish cleaning machine comprising atable,

I a cylinder mounted on thetable, spokesv radiating from the cylinder, a drive shaft for the.

cylinder, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on the table, fish clamping means at the outer ends of'ithe'spokes, a cutting device forcutting heads and tails off of fishes. held in the clamps,

and vertically movable fish cleaning devices adapted .to enter fish held in the clamps after their heads and tails have been removed, said fish'cleaning devices being carried by the cyl-' inder. v v I 3. A fish cleaning machine comprising a table,

a cylinder mounted on the table, spokes radiat ing from the cylinder, a driveshaft for the cyladapted to enter fish held in the clamps after their heads and tails have been removed," said fish cleaning devices beingcarried by the cylinder,

said-cylinder being divided into airfand water chambers andconduit's extending from said chambers to the fish cleaning devices.

4. A fish cleaning machine comprisinga table, a cylinder mounted on the table, spokes radiat ing from thecylinder, a drive shaft for the cylinder, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on the table, fish clamping-means at the-outer ends a. cylinder mounted on the table, spokes radiatof the spokes, a cutting device for cutting heads and tails oif of fishes held in the clamps, and vertically movable fish cleaning devices adapted to enter fish held in the clamps after their heads and tails have been removed, said fish cleaning devices being carried by the cylinder, said cylinder being divided into air and water chambers and conduits extending from said chambers to the fish cleaning devices, valve means for said chambers, and cam means on the table for actue ating said valve means as the cylinder rotates.

5. A fish cleaning machine comprising a table, a cylinder mounted on the table, spokes radiating from the cylinder, a drive shaft for the cylinder, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on the table, fish clamping means at the outer ends of the spokes, a cutting device for cutting heads and tails ofl e f-fishes held in the clamps, vertically movable fish cleaning devices adapted to enter fish held in the clamps after their heads and tails have been removed, and arms pivotally secured to the cylinder and carrying the cleaning devices.

6. A fish cleaning machine comprising a table,

and tails have been removed, arms pivotally secured to the cylinder and carrying the cleaning,

devices, and cam actuated means for lifting and lowering and oscillating the cleaning device.

7. A fish cleaning machine comprising a table,

a cylinder, a drive shaft for the cylinder, said cylinder being rotatably mounted on the table,-

fish clamping means at the outer ends of the spokes, a cuttng device for cutting heads and tails off of fishes held in the clamps, vertically movable fish cleaning devices adapted to enter fish held in the clamps after their heads and tails have been removed, and coacting means between the cleaning devices and the table whereby the cleaning devices are rotated while inserted in fish.

LYMAN I-ll. FUNKEY. 

